The Kenya Accreditation Services (KENAS) has suspended standardisation accreditation for the National Public Health Laboratory Kenya (NPHL).
KENAS cited non-compliance with updated ISO standards as the reason for the decision.
In a letter to NPHL director Dr John Kiiru, KENAS Chief Executive Officer Dr Walter Ongeti noted that the laboratory had not transitioned from ISO 15189:2012 to ISO 15189:2022, as required under KENAS Circular No. 2 of 2023.
“In view of the foregoing, KENAS was forced to proceed to the accreditation [suspension], in accordance with the provisions of KENAS Circular No. 2 of 2023, without further reference to you,” Ongeti stated.
He added, “Please be advised that your accreditation will cease to be valid as of December 5, 2025, upon the expiry of ISO 15189:2012. Consequently, your accreditation will be deemed technically invalid and therefore withdrawn from that date.”
Ongeti further instructed the laboratory that during the suspension period, it should not reference its accreditation in any materials or claim to be accredited.
“All promotional materials bearing reference to accreditation must be withheld until the suspension is lifted,” he said.
The National Public Health Laboratory Kenya, however, emphasised that the KENAS suspension letter reflects a procedural stage within the transition timeline, not a failure of quality systems.
The laboratory said it would continue engaging KENAS to expedite the issuance of a formal clearance letter lifting the temporary suspension.
“The temporary suspension communication reflects the standard transition mechanism in the ISO 15189:2022 migration period. It is lifted once final paperwork is issued,” the laboratory said in a statement.
ISO certification serves as a seal of approval from a third-party body, indicating that a company or institution complies with international standards developed by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).
It verifies that a management system, manufacturing process, or service meets international best practices for quality, safety, and efficiency.
KENAS noted that the laboratory services wing of the health ministry had been directed on March 15, 2023, through Circular No. 2 of 2023, on how to transition from one standardisation level to the next.
The suspension comes in the wake of the Kenya National Public Health Institute (KNPHI) stripping its Deputy Director for Laboratory Services, Leonard Kingwara, of his roles.
In a letter dated January 19, 2026, the Ministry of Health stated that Kingwara is not registered with the Kenya Medical Laboratory Technicians and Technologists Board (KMLTTB).
According to the ministry, Kingwara is not authorised to practice within KNPHI’s laboratory services unit because he lacks the mandatory registration and licensing required under the law, raising concerns about compliance within certain leadership roles in the public health sector.
The NPHL has reassured stakeholders that it remains committed to maintaining high-quality laboratory standards while finalising the administrative transition to ISO 15189:2022 accreditation.
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